Learn Hydro Power

Hydropower is one of the oldest power sources on the planet, generating power when flowing water spins a wheel or turbine. It was used by farmers as far back as ancient Greece for mechanical tasks like grinding grain. Hydropower is also a renewable energy source and produces no air pollution or toxic byproducts.

Typical Energy Consumption

Energy consumption calculator

Energy consumption calculator. kWh calculator.

Typical appliance:

Power consumption:

Hours of use per day:

h/day

Energy consumed per day:

kWh/day

Energy consumed per month:

kWh/month

Energy consumed per year:

kWh/year

Electrical water heater: 2 persons = 195 kWh; 4 persons= 310 kwh

Coffee maker: 9 kwh

Dishwasher= 30 kwh

Microwave = 16 kwh

Refrigerator-Freezer= 170-205 kwh

Dryer= 75 kwh

Washing Machine= 9 kwh

kWh- Kilowatt Hour- a unit of energy equivalent to one kilowatt of power expended for one hour

MWh-Megawatt hour- a unit of energy equivalent to one megawatt of power expended for one hour

How do Dams and Lake Taps Work?

Dam

Holds back the water creating a reservoir.

Lake Tap

Involves excavating a tunnel almost to the water/rock contact and then blasting out thefinal protective rock to allow water to suddenly inflow into the tunnel from the lake. The water then runs the turbine. The tunnel is expected to carry water with a tremendous force to run the turbine to generate the electricity.

Intake

Gates open on the dam (or the tap) and pull water through the penstock.

Penstock

A pipeline that leads to the turbine. As water flows through the pipe, it builds pressure.

Turbine

The water strikes and turns the large blades of the turbine that are attached to a generator.

Generator

As turbine blades turn, so do a series of magnets inside the generator. Magnets rotate past copper coils, producing alternate current (AC) by moving electrons.

Transformer

The transformer inside the powerhouse takes the AC and converts it to a higher-voltage current.

Outflow

Used water is carried through pipelines, called tailraces, and re-enters the river downstream.